Cold-Weather Treats

I learned the maple lollipop recipe below in the second grade when we were studying maple trees and maple syrup production in Ohio.

Our class attended a field trip to a location in Ohio where maple syrup was produced and we were able to watch some sap gathering at sugar maple trees. Inside a production facility, we saw how the syrup became candy.

Later, I learned that this recipe I am sharing is a traditional Native American recipe for winter candy. It all begins with gathering the sap. For us today, bottled maple syrup may be the beginning.

The Northeastern US tribes cooked maple sap in large pots over an open fire and drizzled it into the surrounding snow to cool and harden. Thus, it contained only one ingredient in those days!

Two - Ingredient Maple Syrup Candy

Ingredients

1 Cup maple syrup

1 Tablespoon butter

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the syrup and cook, stirring constantly, until it reads 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer or until drizzled syrup hardens when placed in cold water to a firm ball.

Put saucepan in a larger pan of cold water to stop cooking. Quickly pour the hot syrup onto aluminum foil, greased cake pans, or a greased sheet pan, or even on a greased counter top, and allow to cool.

Crack into bite-size pieces. Place the candy in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

Cook Time

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 30 min

Ready in: 35 min

Yields: 1/3 pound candy

Alternative Method

An alternative form of candy made from this recipe is the Maple Drizzle Stick. | Source

For an alternative form of maple candy, use some popsicle sticks and a couple of metal sheet pans that have been chilled in your freezer until very cold:

When you are ready to pour out the candy mixture form the cooking pot, line up the sheet pans on top of clean towels on your counter.

Starting at the bottom of a sheet pan, line up popsicle sticks about 2" apart in rows that leave 2" between the top of sticks and the bottom of sticks in the row above and below. Some cooks fill the pans with a layer of crushed ice, tamped down; but this tends to melt quickly, especially in warmer weather and a hot kitchen.

Drizzle candy mixture over each stick to make a slim lollipop.

Let the candy cool and Harden. Lift the maple lollipops off the pans by grasping the handle of each and lifting at an angle away from you carefully so that the candy does not break apart.

Place the lollipops, handle down, in a container like a large ceramic mug for serving. A pair of small tongs help to maintain cleanliness when removing each treat; but, you can also wrap each one in a cellophane wrapper available for candy and craft stores.

Pastries

Round Bear Paw Pastry

this is a semicircular Bear Paw pastry, but I like to make them in pie pans and add extra almonds for the "claws" all around..

This is another Native American traditional favorite that is used for special occasions, but is happily used anytime.

To make these loaves more festive, add 1/4 cup of dried fruit into each loaf. for the four loaves, so that would be 2 cups of dried fruits of your choice: raisins, dates, blueberries, apricots, figs, cranberries, cherries, or other favorites.

Ingredients

Yield: Four loaves.

10 Cups flour

2 Cups hot water

2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening, lard,

butter, or margarine

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon salt

2 packages active dry yeast

½ Cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place 2 cups of hot water, shortening, honey, and salt in a large bowl; stir until shortening is melted.

Dissolve yeast in the warm water in a small bowl. When liquid in the largre bowl has cooled to room temperature, stir in the yeast mixture.

Add flour 1 cup at a time (8 cups total), beating well after each cup. Pour the remaining 2 cups on a board and turn out dough on top of it.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased large bowl, turning dough to grease top of the dough.

Cover dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rise 90 minutes or until double in size.

Turn dough out on a floured board and knead again for 3-4 minutes.

Grease 4 (9-inch) pie pans.

Divide dough into four equal part and make flat circles about 8 inches in diameter.

Fold each circle almost in half, allowing bottom to extend an inch beyond the top lip. With a sharp knife, slash the dough twice, cutting through both layers of dough, about halfway back to the fold. This will form three toes for the bear's claw.

Place each loaf in a greased pie plate curving the folded side into a crescent.

Separate the slashes (toes), cover loosely with a towel and let rise until doubled in size again.

Set a shallow pan of hot water in the center of bottom oven rack .

Place loaves on the top oven rack.

Bake 1 hour or browned and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Cranberry Fritters

Click thumbnail to view full-size

Source

Skip the confectioner's sugar topping for a treat that is less sweet. | Source

Ingredients

Yield: 36 fritters.

1 Cup fresh cranberries

1 1/2 Cups unbleached flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk

1/4 Cup brown sugar

Peanut oil for deep frying

Confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Wash the cranberries and pat dry on paper towels.

Sift dry ingredients together and mix in milk for a stiff dough.

With floured hands, pinch off 1 teaspoon of dough and make an indentation.

Sprinkle a little brown sugar in the indentation and place a cranberry in the center.

Roll dough around the berry. Repeat until dough is gone.

Heat oil in a deep, heavy pan to 375 degrees F.

Drop fritter balls into the fat. Fry, turning until they are deep golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.

Shake confectioners sugar over the fritters just before serving hot.

Spicy Pine Nut Feast Day Cookies

Source

Ingredients

Yield: 24 cookies.

2/3 Cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 Cup shortening

1 Whole Egg

2 Cups unbleached flour, sifted

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon aniseed

1/3 Cup milk

1/2 Cup pine nuts, chopped. Use about 1/2 cup whole pine nuts on top of cookies.

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